Grand jirga calls for APC against terrorism,

PESHAWAR_  The outlawed TTP has released a 5-minute long “condolence” video over the suicide attack during a Jamiat-e-Ulema Islam-F workers’ convention in Bajaur that killed 63 people, the Khorasan Diary reported on Friday.

However, there is not a single word against the banned IS-KP which claimed the Bajaur attack, it added.

The two senior and founding members of the organisation Maulana Azmatullah Mehsud and Maulana Faqir Muhammad and Shahid Omar, deputy Shadow governor for Malakand Division criticised the government’s policies for causing such “incidents”.

At least 63 were killed and 123 people injured after a suicide bomber blew himself up at the JUI-F in Khar’s gathering in Shandy Morr area on July 30.

Initial investigations indicated that the outlawed Islamic State could be behind the suicide bombing in Bajaur.

Analysts who monitor the incidents of terrorism in the region say IS-KP is probably made up of some people from the banned TTP who are supported by certain people across the border.

Journalist Iftikhar Firdous, the founder of Khorasan Diary, also called it a war of ideologies and said that the issue of IS-KP has issues with the JUI-F as when IS was forming its Khorasan chapter, the first fatwa against them was given by the leaders of JUI. IS was called a group of ‘kharjites’.

While,

The grand tribal jirga organised by Jamiat Ulema-e- Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) condemned on Friday the Bajaur blast, suggesting to invite the all-party conference (APC) against terrorism.

The meeting of notables was held at a local hotel in Peshawar under the auspices of the JUI-F in which political and tribal elders of Pashtun Belt participated.

Jamaat e Islami (JI) Emir Sirajul Haq, Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) General Secretary Nayyar Bukhari and SAPM Faisal Karim Kundi participated in the meeting. Awami National Party’s (ANP) Ghulam Ahmad Bilour, Mian Iftikhar Hussain also participated.

Qaumi Watan Party’s (QWP) Hashim Babar, JUI-S chief Maulana Hamidul Haque, Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party (PkMAP) chief Mahmood Khan Achakzai and other tribal elders were also present.

On this occasion, Fazlur Rehman said, “Our history is full of sacrifices. On one hand, our past is written with blood. On the other hand, there are the conspiracies that are done by outside forces”.

He said the purpose of the grand jirga was to take measures by reviewing the situation, adding the meeting had expressed concern over the incidents of terrorism in various districts.

He praised the government for announcing the compensation package for the affectees of the Bajaur blast.

Rehman said the destruction of the economy and sabotaging the CPEC was a “global agenda”.